Winter Weather and NETs: Policies, Processes, and Procedures

This article covers, as comprehensively as possible, all policies/processes/procedures related to NETs deploying in response to winter weather. The audience for this article includes both NETs and City of Portland employees.

Background

NET volunteers have an historic role responding to inclement winter weather, and have served in a variety of positions. In winter events from 2013 to 2025, NETs have:

Event		NET Shifts Filled
	# of volunteers deployed/ est. volunteer hours	Warming Facility	Homeless Services Support	EOC	Down Powerline	Snow Angel	Windshield Assessment
2025 February Storm	18 NETs / 34 hours				15	1
2024 January Winter Storm	106 NETs / 209 hours	2	7	10	36		61
2023 January-February Cold Snaps	56 NETs / 440 hours	26	54
2022 December Winter Storm	59 NETs / 382 hours	8	77		17
2022 April Surprise Snow	33 NETs / 122 hours		14		25
2022 February Cold Snap	20 NETs / 124 hours	14	11
2021 December Winter Storm	111 NETs / 842 hours	79	113
2021 February Snow	99 NETs / 319 hours	4	34			41
2020 December Cold	8 NETs / 28 hours		8
2020 January Cold	2 NETs / 8 hours	2
2019 Thanksgiving Winter Storm	15 NETs / 73 hours	16
2019 March Winter Weather	10 NETs / 77 hours	14
2019 February Winter Storm	24 NETs / 120 hours	24
2018 February Winter	17 NETs / 85 hours	17

Summary of Policies for Winter NET Deployments

The policies described here are intended to keep volunteers safe, and their response posture effective and efficient. If a proposed deployment calls for an exception or exceptions to any of these policies, it should be considered very carefully and in consultation with City Risk and/or the EOC Safety Officer.

General

1. The personally identifiable information (PII) of all volunteers is kept confidential at all times and shared only among event responders on a need-to-know basis. PII includes volunteer names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers.
   • Individual NET volunteers can opt-in to having their PII shared if there is a need to do so.
   • Group emails sent to NETs should ideally be done through MyImpact (MIP). If using a more conventional email service (e.g. Outlook), the sender should place NET email addresses in a BCC line.
2. Every PBEM volunteer has a profile in MIP which includes an emergency contact. Before volunteers deploy, the person managing NETs will confirm they have access to that information.
3. NET volunteers are indemnified by the City of Portland, but the City does not provide volunteers with coverage for personal injuries or damages.

Appropriate Deployments

This article covers usual winter weather deployments for NETs, but NETs may be considered for response roles not considered here. If clear guidance is not available for whether a deployment is an appropriate fit for NETs, EOC personnel should consider the following:

1. As appropriate, involve the EOC's Safety Officer, the City's Risk Office, and the City Attorney's Office in discussions about deploying NETs.
2. Consider if and how the Fair Labor Standards Act applies in a volunteer deployment. For example, if a deployment calls up both paid employees and volunteers, they cannot be requested at the same time. Paid employees must be called up first, with NETs requested for any remaining shifts that would otherwise not be filled by paid staff.
3. Not only does the above point demonstrate a possible violation of the FLSA, it also surfaces the ethical hazard of asking volunteers to do anything paid staff can or should do. PBEM does not deploy NETs to volunteer in any position that can be fulfilled by a paid contractor or paid employees.
4. As a general rule, only PBEM staff should deploy PBEM volunteers. Allowing any other bureau or government body to deploy PBEM volunteers could risk their indemnification.
   • Non-PBEM staff can manage NET volunteers (for example, County employees supervising NET volunteers at a warming shelter).
   • Exceptions to this policy can be made with written permission from an Incident Commander. The City Attorney should provide a consult or confirmation before giving that permission.

Safety

Nothing they haven't been sufficiently trained for (which is subjective, but still...)

Consider the safety of both the request AND travel to the request.

Make winter weather appropriate clothing a factor of their PPE

Consider PPE carefully for each deployment

Someone with PBEM MUST BE be established for PAR for non-shelter and non-EOC deployments (ideally for all winter weather deployments)

Clear NET deployments with Safety Officer and also inform FPN leadership

To broaden deployments, PBEM should purchase key PPE as resources allow for NETs (e.g. snow/ice traction devices)

Travel considerations/night security

General Winter Weather Prep for NETs

Set a kickoff date (mid November)

Update Everbridge

Initial kickoff communications, prep gear, make sure your family is good, comms with neighborhood/neighbors

Storm drain clearing

Update emergency contact info

NETs Responding in the EOC During Winter Weather

Assistant EOC Manager

Deputy Planning Section Chief

Deputy Logistics Chief

Food Unit

Situation Unit Staff

Documentation Unit Lead

Documentation Unit Staff

Note-takers

Resource Unit Lead

NETs Responding to Warming Facilities

x

Demobe and mental health

Shift cancelation

NETs Responding to Down Powerlines

x

NET Snow Angels

x

NETs Supporting Homeless Services

Warehouse logistics

Remote dispatch